Rider Error

Karen Chaton posted a very good blog on 10/26/09 about pulls and evaluating the cause. Although I agree that in most cases the root cause can be traced to rider error, I think that it's possible that some of the fault can lay with chance or fate.

You notice that I don't say that fault lays with the horse as well. I'm torn on this issue because I can see both sides with equal clarity. On one hand, the horse has a job and a responsibility. It can't be a "team" if one of the members of the team has absolutely no responsibility. But there's also the argument that since humans/rider was who trained the horse, gave it a job it may or may not be suitable for, and asked it to go into a situation that it was/was not trained properly for, that the end result is that the human is at the root, responsible for all the behavior of the horse. This argument can be taken to the extreme as the root of most situations IS human and IS related to riding, does that mean if we really value our horse that we will not ride and keep it as "safe" as possible in a stall or pasture some where?

I'm somewhere in the middle of this debate, probably falling more on the side that the horse has a responsibility in the relationship. Mugwump posted here about the debate of giving a horse a "choice" or voice in the relationship. I encourage my horse to think, but I also demand that she look to me when she's confused, scared, or in need of reassurance. She also knows that my word is the last word in the matter. I *don't* want to start a mares versus gelding debate right now, but I feel more comfortable with this type of relationship with a mare than a gelding.

I *do* think that the rider has the responsibility that when the horse talks, to listen. This means pulling even if they've passed the vet check. This means (talking specifically endurance here) finishing overtime, or slowing down etc.

Of course all of this assumes that the world is full of good horse people that bring conditioned mounts to rides, don't want to ride a lame horse (and can recognize when their horse is lame), and generally have the best interest of the horse at heart.

Yes, I would say *all* horse injuries/accidents/endurance pulls are 100% preventable in hind sight. But each precautionary measure comes with it's own risk too. As horsepeople, we constantly weigh the benefits for and against and make the best decision possible. Are you willing to stop riding so you can be absolutely sure nothing will happen? Because sometimes, I'm convinced, sh*t happens.

Karen's original challenge was for the reader to think of the last pull at a ride and how it could have been prevented. This is a great exercise and turns pulls into a learning experience, instead of shrugging them off as *crap* happens without really evaluating whether it was rider error or that "rock with your name on it".

Tevis - pulled 68 miles - lame

1. I should have ridden by myself the entire way. In retrospect, Farley was much more relaxed the 2nd 1/3 of the ride, than the 1st 1/3. However, it's possible that even if I hadn't agreed to ride with someone (we separated at Robinson due to unforeseen circumstances), I would have ended up stuck behind a bunch of people. At least way I only had to ride with one other person and we both had similar pace and strategy in mind. She wasn't "hyped" in the beginning but may have been more relaxed if riding by ourselves.

2. A rock (?) hit the inside of RF, causing a little bruise. Was intermittently lame going down hill. Front boots may have prevented this. I didn't use them because she had done rocky rides with no issues, we had pre-ridden 2/3 of the trail with no issues, and boots can rub and hold heat and cause their own set of issues. However, next year, I will use front boots at this ride.

3. At Foresthill Farley started to get stiff and sore in the hind end. There are several things I could do to prevent this.

3a. More rides. In retrospect we didn't do very many rides, even though the ones we did "meant" something (over 50 miles, multiday, hilly, rocky etc.). This year, I'll try to get more rides in the beginning of the year.

3b. More trotting hills in rides and during conditioning. My strategy last year was to walk at the hills (up and down) and trot the flats and very slight up and down hills. It worked well. In order to get that next level of conditioning I have started to ask for the trot up hills in training rides.

3c. Better riding. By being a better rider she could save her muscles for the trail instead of using them to support me. To this end I have started taking dressage lessons.

4. Knowing the cut off times better. If I had been more familiar with the cut offs, I wouldn't have panicked trying to get to Michigan bluff/chicken hawk very quickly when some said we only had 15 minutes. They misread the card when in reality we had plenty of time.

Anytime you evaluate a ride for what went wrong, evaluate what went right:

1. Electrolyte protocol worked well. She drank and ate all day, got very good marks for hydration.

2. Saddle and tack fit - no soreness, no galls

3. Pacing - I wasn't riding the clock and I once I was the through the first 1/3 of the course (which I hadn't preridden) was right on with my estimates of trail time.

4. Excellent attitude from Farley all day. She was right there with me, happy to be on the trail.

Excluding my first year with Minx, I've never been pulled for the same thing twice (talking about root causes here, not the specific pull code). Hopefully I will continue to use each pull as a learning experience. (and will continue to learn without the pulls!)

Here's an earlier post where I discuss pulls in endurance.